8 The Land Of Gods And Demons

-Yunlan-

As the fire bats flied in circles above them, the guarding team begin to fire their guns, ignoring Wang's warning. Their lives were at stake and it was better to die fighting than to give up on life, but the bats were too small and agile to really be killed by special rubber bullets. Zhao held Shen Wei more tightly and kissed the crown of his head so lovingly that if the professor had been awake, he would had melt in the spot. Then he turned his gaze toward the coming mass of fire bats and mutter a few words no one was able to hear, because the tone used was not meant to be heard by humans.

"Be gone, wicked things... you had dare to taint this lands long enough." Was what come out of his mouth unconsciously, although in a language he didn't knew existed, let alone learn it. Only Wang felt the power of the words, even if she was unable to hear them and then she felt the hastily coming of a strong inhuman energy from below. Just a few seconds later, and they heard a piercing screech that make the guardians drop their guns to cover their ears, as well as the professors.

Most of his people fell to their knees, as the shrill screech keep up, messing up with their heads. Only Yunlan remained standing and completely unaffected by the sound with Shen Wei securely on his arms. The bats turned to retreat back to the sealing, but half way, a wave of lighting came up from the hole at the bottom of the cliff and strike them all with precise accuracy. Not a single one was spared and they fall back to the hole and the border of the cliff, dead.

Right after, the sound was gone and so was the alien energy Wang felt bellow them. Zhao staggered, as if he was going out of a trance, but his hold on the still unconscious Shen Wei never loosen, even when he fell to his knees too, panting like he had just run a mile.

"Chief!" Da Qing yelled, moving to help him with the professor, because he also looked like he was going to faint too.

"Don't mind me, I'm okay... Wang! Have a look at Shen Wei." He demanded, ignoring the surreal events that took place just now. He was well aware that both his team and the other professors were rightfully shaking off by the strange powers of the lands of gods, but his first priority was to make sure Shen Wei was fine. After that they could talk all they want about what to next, if they still feel like keeping up, even against such dangers.

Wang instructed Yunlan to put Shen Wei on the icy floor and Zhao comply immediately, although he keep Shen Wei's head over his lap. She was about to check the professors pulse, when some kind of static electricity make her retrieve her hand. Just like she had felt before, the handsome man was covered with a kind of energy she could not access.

Then she closed her eyes and try to see beyond what normal humans could and saw the professor's body cover in a greenish energy that seems to originate from his wrist. She had told him before that the beads held power, but she was quite surprised to find out that the power came from none other than Zhao Yunlan, himself.

Ever since the beginning, she was aware he was different, because his aura was always deep gold which represented the presence of celestial beings around him. The others had decided to call him the god of good luck, because they had always came out unharmed of dangerous situations when at his side, but she doubted none of them knew how right they had been in calling him as such, because now she was sure that the one who had save them all had been the Chief, even if he had done it unconsciously.

Right now, she was sure her Chief was something more than a luckily blessed human and so was the professor that he cared for so fondly. As she saw them with her third eye, she could tell that both of their lives were definitely deeply intertwined with one another, like if they had been fated since the beginning of time.

Just watching their aura, make her believe those two had been lovers for centuries, sharing their lives in endless reincarnations. In a way, it was a beautiful sight, the way Zhao Yunlan's golden aura covered that of the professor and melted together with his to become one. She smiled slightly before opening her eyes again.

"Ah, come one, Wang.... What's happening to him? Please tell me he is going to be alright..." Yunlan said a bit desperately, so unlike him. That was actually the first time she had seen him lose his cool.

"There is nothing really wrong with him. I think the professor's mind is somewhere else. You will have to wait until his spirit is released from the power of this place."

"You had to be kidding me right? Wang, that's..."

"If you don't believe me, just look at his wrist. This is actually your doing, I told you the beads had power." She said and Zhao rolled up his sleeve to find that she was actually right. As soon as the thick fabric of the jacked was out of the picture, all of them could see the bracelet shining with a greenish light over Shen Wei's paler skin.

The other professors were shocked, yet the guardians were not as surprised, because they had witness quite a lot of strange things, most of them coming from Wang. However, Zhao paled instantly, cursing himself for giving the much loved man something that was keeping him away from him. He was going to remove it from Wei's wrist, in hope he will awake when getting rid of the thing he crafted with his own hands, but Wang stop him before he could do so.

"Don't remove it. The beads are working their power over him right now. It's not harmful, I assure you that, just wait until he comes back." She advised.

"For how long he will be out? This is not exactly a safe place." Zhao asked.

"I don't know. I suggest you sent back to the village the other professors, because I don't think they should stay here for too long."

"Wait. I will not abandon professor Shen! We almost begged him to let us go with him. How can you possibly ask us to leave him behind and while he is unconscious no less. " Ying Chun protested and the others accented in agreement. No one was really comfortable with leaving their beloved professor with strangers, even when they were there to keep them safe. The suggestion alone was outrageous and quite out of the question for any who personally knew the kind handsome man.

"I believe he will personally sent you back, once conscious. This place is far too dangerous for you, please don't get offended." She insisted.

"Then we wait for him to wake..." Guo said by Chu's side. The man had actually held him too when the fire bats circle them. He had been surprised, when the older man hug him from behind in a protective way, just before he was going to yell in fright.

"Alright... Let's camp here and wait until professor Shen can make his decision to wathever keep moving forwards or go back to the village. Either way, we stay alert and protect this people with our lives. Wang, if you have protection talismans, go right ahead and use them. No one, and I mean, no one is allowed to go close to the cliff border under any circumstances, go it?" There was an unanimous agreement and fifteen minutes later, Zhao was once again inside his tent, sat by Shen Wei's side with a worry expression on his usual playful face.

Deep inside, guilt was consuming Zhao for impulsively give him something he never imagine was going to make him lose consciousness for so long and in just a critical point. He keep staring at him, hoping he will open his eyes soon. His heart was beating hard, as he keep passing a nervous hand over his already mess up hair.

"Please Shen Wei... wake up soon babe. I promise you had bewitched me in such a way, that I'm already crazy for you." Ten more minutes passed and Zhao remained at his side, barely moving from his spot.

"Please, come back to me, my Wei... please..." Twelve more minutes.

"Just open those beautiful eyes of yours and I will give you the world..." Zhao whisper, holding his cold hand and kissing it very gently, then laying down by his side, to pull Wei back in a tight hug, just like he did the night before.

"I will wait, my beloved... even if it takes an eternity. As long as you forgive me, I will make it up to you for as long as I live, because for now on, I'm rightfully yours..." Zhao whisper just before softly kissing Wei's forehead and holding him for as long as it takes.

-Shen Wei-

Inside his 'dream' Shen frowned slightly, as he found himself at the very door of hell, or so that was what came to his mind when he saw the high red tower, just a short distance away from were he was standing. He knew not of why he was there, nor where he was. The only thing he knew was that the dark reddish place was one that held dark energy, a place of demons.

He gave a step forwards and instantly, hundreds of spectral bluish figures manifested all over the place, make him stop just after one single step. A few figures moved to stand in front of him and although they were only spectral, Shen was surprised he recognized those who stood in front of him.

"Da Qing, Jin Ling, Zhu Hong, Guo Changcheng, Wang and Sang..." Shen whisper and the phantom figures bowed in front of him, like he was a high king.

"What is this place? Where is Yunlan?" He asked to no one in particular, because aside from the phantom figures, he was alone.

"Not alone, I'm also here..." A voice he recognized said from behind him. Shen Wei turned to look at what could had been Zhao Yunlan's twin brother, although that one looked like he had been working in an historical drama.

His hair was long, his clothes, exquisite robes of blue and light green, his eyes slightly golden, but the biggest difference was that there was an air of divinity around him that make you want to be on your knees immediately and so he did unconsciously, making the less mischievous and more dignified Yunlan sight.

"My beloved Wei... there had never been a need for you to kneel before me. In past lives we had always been lover's, the same will we always be, get up." Shen Wei did as he was told, although his face was a bit red, at the mention of them been lover's.

"Kunlun?" The name was also whispered unconsciously, because he had the feeling he was called as such, although he did not remember clearly, just vague images of past lives and as the god smiled so charmingly, Shen Wei blushed even more profusely, as his heart raced the same way it did when too close of the teasing Yunlan.

"Ah, my reincarnation is indeed quite something else, but so does yours. How can you always be that lovely without fail?" Kunlun smiled, making Wei even more hotter.

"I..." Shen Wei begin.

"Never mind that, I brought you here for other reasons. You are actually dreaming, Xiao Wei, so I no longer exists as you are seen me now. I'm nothing more than an old memory. The real me is actually waiting for you to wake up and he is worry sick for you right now. He had even promise to be yours for as long as he lives. How sweet of me..." Kunlun laughed, making Shen blush even more.

"Kunlun... what is this place?" Shen asked avoiding embarrassing topics. He could easily imagine Yunlan holding him tightly while he sleep, he had wake up in the morning finding himself on the tempting man embrace. He almost have a heart attack, as his heart raced like hell, feeling his warm body against his and his arms covering him quite lovingly and protective.

"As you had imagine, this is indeed the gate of hell, the demon tower. Long ago, demons were sealed in another dimension and this tower keep them from crossing over again. Deep below Mount Kunlun, you can find this place and someone who we failed to trap inside had open the gate, using the professor to open it for him. Now, some minor demons had escaped, although the Guardians of this gate had suppressed the escape to only beast demons, you and the rest of the Guardians must kill all the demons that escaped and close the gate again. Both, your blood and that of Yunlan's can close the gate. Sent back the professor's, because only those who had served as Guardians in previous lives can actually survive such dangers. Please hurry, my Wei, because if a stronger demon escape from hell, many humans will die. Go back to your Yunlan now and find your way to the demon tower and close it as soon as you can." The god of mountains extended his hand and give him a bunch of beaded bracelets, like that of prayers beads, monks used.

"Give these to those who's spirits you had seen bow to you. It will give them my protection and a bit more in case of need. Yunlan's dormant power will also keep you safe, not to mention your own. Now, wake up..."

"Wait... what about professor Ouyang? Is he still at the demon tower?" Kunlun expression changed for a more sad one and Shen Wei heart felt like it had been pierced.

"I'm sorry, my lovely Wei... I had no power to save him, as I am just an old memory leave behind in this tainted place. Your professor was killed as soon as he was forced to open the gate... The notes, one of my Guardians sent it to you, so both you and Yunlan will come. My deepest apologies." The god's spirit said before vanishing. Soon after, he found himself back into Yunlan's embrace and he couldn't help himself but to embrace him back with a muffle cry.

"Yunlan... He is dead... Professor Ouyang is dead." Shen whisper over Zhao's neck with such sadness that it broke Zhao's heart.

"I'm sorry babe... I'm sorry..." He whisper back, just before he gently kissed the crown of his head. Then Wei moved his head up to actually steal a kiss from Yunlan, which was more than willing to give him what he wanted. In Shen's mind, there was no more doubts that the man he was kissing so willingly, like Zhao once told him he would, was his fated one. Apparently it had been like that for centuries and he actually kind of liked the thought of sharing his life with him, one time after the other, because the way he held him, kiss him and whisper the words he needed to hear, he couldn't love the man more.

As they passionately kissed for a minute or two, tears escaped Shen Wei's closed eyes, as his heart mourned the death of the professor, but Yunlan wiped them all away with more love than he thought possible and Shen Wei felt blessed, yet again.

AN: Ah, so sweet! I truly love these two. Thanks for reading and I hope you like this one. With lots of love, see you next time. ^_^